Trip Planner
Introducing the Austrian Grand Prix
Sunday December 6 2026
What to expect in this guide
• Where is the Red Bull Ring?
• What’s the circuit like?
• How many days should you plan for?
• How does a race weekend work?
• Best booking resources for F1 trips
Estimated Reading Time: 3-4 minutes
Of all the circuits on the Formula 1 calendar, the Red Bull Ring is one of the shortest. It sits in the Styrian Alps, near a village called Spielberg in the Austrian countryside. It has just 10 corners. No other track on the calendar has fewer.
The lap is compact but varied. There are notable elevation changes, blind crests, and several heavy braking zones. Most of the overtaking tends to happen between Turns 1, 3, and 4.
Spielberg is quiet for most of the year. Race week is a different story. The Austrian Grand Prix returned to the calendar in 2014 and has delivered some notable results since. Mercedes dominated the early hybrid era here. Red Bull has since made it a stronghold, though not without the occasional setback.
Red Bull is an Austrian company. This is their home race. The event reflects that. Alongside the Formula 1 sessions, the weekend includes skydivers, stunt planes, and live music. It has a distinct character compared to most Grands Prix.
How many days should you spend at the Austrian Grand Prix?
Plan for three full days, Friday to Sunday. That covers every Formula 1 session and the full schedule of support racing.
Between F1 sessions, there is plenty happening on track. Formula 2, Formula 3, and the Porsche Supercup each run multiple sessions across the weekend. Display flights and stunt aerobatics fill gaps in the schedule. There is rarely a lull across the three days.
Austrian Grand Prix weekend schedule at a glance
Here’s a quick overview of what to expect each day at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Friday
Formula 1 runs two practice sessions. The support series hold their qualifying sessions, with Formula 2, Formula 3, and the Porsche Supercup all on track during the day.
Saturday
Saturday is the busiest day. It opens with the Formula 3 Sprint Race, then moves through Porsche Supercup qualifying, the third Formula 1 practice session, further support race sessions, and closes with Formula 1 qualifying.
Sunday
Support series run their feature races in the morning. The drivers’ parade takes place before the main event. The Austrian Grand Prix closes out the weekend.
Each year, a handful of Grand Prix follow a sprint format. On a sprint weekend, Friday includes practice and sprint qualifying. Saturday includes the sprint race and Grand Prix qualifying. Sunday is still the Grand Prix. Sprint weekends rotate around the calendar each season, so check the current year’s schedule on F1.com.
Best booking resources for F1 trips
Planning the trip is the fun part for some and a chore for others.
If you would rather not handle all the details yourself, we can do that for you.
Take a look at our Grand Prix ticket & travel packages »
Prefer to do it all yourself? You’re welcome to take everything you’ve learned here and book your own trip. These are good places to start. They’re reliable, easy to use, and usually the best value.
Tickets
Grand Prix Tickets is the agency I’ve trusted for years. They’ve always been reliable, easy to deal with, and quick to help if something comes up.
Hotels
ZenHotels is one of my go-to sites for hotel bookings. It pulls prices from many smaller sites you might not know about, which makes it good for finding deals. I also check Expedia and Booking.com when I want more options.
Excursions
Viator is full of walking tours, attraction tickets, and local experiences. It’s especially handy if you’re heading to a new Grand Prix city. It’s a good place to find extras to add to your trip.
Getting to the Austrian Grand Prix
In this guide you'll learn about how to get to Austria for the Austrian Grand Prix.
Where to stay for the Austrian Grand Prix
In this guide we'll help you choose the best place to stay during your trip to the Austrian Grand Prix.
Choosing a grandstand at the Austrian Grand Prix
In this guide we'll help you choose the right grandstand for your Austrian Grand Prix experience.
Getting Around at the Austrian Grand Prix
In this guide you'll learn about the different options for getting around during the Austrian Grand Prix.
